-Premier Asilaua questioned why Malaita provincial government will be paying for security guards for Chinese company CCECC working in Auki road project

-Asilaua says it is ‘normal’

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Malaita provincial government (MPG) is being questioned why it will be paying for security guards for CCECC, the Chinese company contracted for the major Auki road project.

Premier Elijah Asilaua has said it is ‘normal’.

Malaita non-executive MPAs raised the concern after the provincial government advertised vacancies for security guards to look after CCECC properties and sites.

The non-executives questioned why Asilaua’s government was giving this special treatment to CCECC when it had never done the same for other companies from other development partners.

“A lot of projects in Malaita funded by other development partners such as Australia and Japan, involving companies from other countries which Premier Asilaua’s government has not even spent a dollar to cooperate and pay for their security.

“But, Premier Asilaua suddenly finds it normal to pay for the security guards of Chinese company CCECC,” the non-executives say.

“If MPG wants the same with contractors implementing donor funded projects in the province, similar privilege should be offered to them all,” the MPAs argued.

“We acknowledge if the privilege is impeded in the agreements between MPG and the contractor on the project. But that doesn’t reflect fairness to all development partners especially contractors implementing projects in the province.

“After all, our donor partners are here to develop us and we should accord similar treatment to them all,” they argued.

“If other contractors pay for their own security guards, why is CCECC not paying for theirs?” the MPAs said.

In response Premier Asilaua said in his assembly speech on Monday said Malaita needs to reciprocate in some form to the CCECC over the Auki road project.

He said for Malaita provincial government to provide security officers “it is normal under its budget allocation”.

“It is a good investment through a win-win cooperation for a good course with high returns on tangible, visible and decent road infrastructure to benefit many people in Malaita province.

“It is the government’s responsibility to make sure the contractor’s foreign staff and even our local employees, machinery, and equipment are in a safe working environment for smooth operations to successfully complete the project time frame in 22 months.

“Safety and security of the machinery, equipment, and staff are important. Providing security officers and police officers to patrol is just normal as well,” Asilaua explained.

Meanwhile, the non-executives clarified that they support the Auki road project.

“We are in full support of Auki Road upgrade project and other donor funded projects in the province,” they said. 

China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) is a state-owned enterprise of the People’s Republic of China.

It has been awarded the contract to build the major Auki road project.

It is unclear how much the project is worth. However, the Auki road project is part of the $170 million infrastructure funding from China which government directed to Malaita last year.

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